Iran has positioned a “mothership” off the East Coast of America to launch drones over New Jersey, a US congressman claims, as reports of “car-sized” flying objects over the Garden State have poured into local TV stations and flooded social media since November.

Representative Jeff Van Drew, in a December 11 interview with Fox News, claimed he had received intelligence evidence to support this assertion, though his remarks were widely ridiculed online.

The FBI has been called in to investigate but told a Congress committee called to look into the issue that “We don’t know what they are,” when questioned by the panel.  

"I don't have an answer of who's responsible," Robert Wheeler Jr, the assistant director of the FBI's Critical Incident Response Group told lawmakers at a congressional hearing on December 10. "But we're actively investigating."

A Pentagon spokesperson confirmed that there were no Iranian ships in US waters on December 11 and flatly denied the presence of an “Iranian mothership” over New Jersey.

Van Drew alleged that Iran, with alleged backing from China, had deployed a carrier vessel responsible for the unidentified aerial objects reported in New Jersey’s airspace.

“We have a serious problem with our aerospace,” he said during a House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s hearing on December 11. “The recent sightings of unidentified drones in the state of New Jersey, my home state, is justifiably causing tremendous public concern,” which he claims are coming from a “mothership.”

“This vessel has launched all the drones we have been seeing or hearing about. This information comes from high-level sources,” he said but failed to provide specific evidence to substantiate the claims. “My information comes from high-level sources, and I don't just talk like that!”

“They say to us there’s nothing to fear, but we have no idea who it is, where it comes from, what it’s about, and what it can do,” he added in an interview with ABC News.

Multiple New Jersey mayors have written to Governor Phil Murphy to complain about the lack of answers as the ongoing drone activity has only grown worse.

The Pentagon was quick to distance itself from the allegations. A Defence Department spokesperson said in a statement: “At this time, we have no evidence that the reported aerial activity over US airspace originates from any foreign entities.”

However, the Pentagon’s refusal to comment on the nature of the unidentified flying objects (UFOs) has only poured oil on the flames of suspicion. New Jersey assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia said that large drones of up to 1.8mn in diameter have been travelling with “lights off and operate in a co-ordinated manner,” suggesting them have some unknown purpose. Fantasia added that it is not believed the drones belong to hobbyist, but it remains unclear what they are.

New Jersey state officials called for a federal investigation into the reports of UFO activity and concerns over potential threats to military installations in the state.

Some of the drones have flown near the Picatinny Arsenal - a sensitive US military research facility - as well as near President-elect Donald Trump's golf course in the town of Bedminster, the BBC reports. In late November, the US Air Force confirmed that unidentified drones flew over three US airbases in the UK as well at RAF Lakenheath and RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk and RAF Feltwell in Norfolk, the BBC reports.

The flying objects may not be alien or Iranian in origin, but no one has disputed that drones operated by unknow persons are flying over New Jersey, which the authorities have been unable to identify.

The US Defence Department has assured that it is continuing to monitor the region’s airspace as part of its standard procedures.

The allegations sparked a scathing reaction from the Iranian authorities and its citizens. Reactions on Iranian social media ranged from mockery to suspicion.

One commenter quipped: “We can’t even make a good car, let alone a spaceship.” Another remarked cynically: “They have lied to their people so much and are so fearful of Iran that their representatives are having dreams and nightmares about Iran.”

Some viewed the claims as part of a potential, “American plot,” with one user saying: “This is another lie from American officials – there must be some plot in the works.”

The bizarre allegations have fuelled public intrigue and raised questions about the unexplained aerial activity over New Jersey. While the skies over the Garden State are not empty, the purpose of the drones and the motives of their operators remain a mystery.

As bne IntelliNews reported, Iran has advanced drone production capabilities and has provided Russia with thousands of sophisticated Shahed “kamikaze” drones and other lethal variants for use in the Ukrainian war, although formally Tehran has denied any involvement in the hostilities.