KATHMANDU: A historic moment unfolded high in the Himalayas on Tuesday morning when Iranian climber Afsaneh Hesami Fard reached the summit of Mt. Cho Oyu (8,188m), completing her journey across all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks.

The expedition, organized by Seven Summit Treks, saw Hesami Fard climb alongside Chung-Han Lu from Taiwan and Anar Burasheva from Kazakhstan, guided by Nepali climbers Tashi Sherpa and Pasang Tenji Sherpa.

With this ascent, Hesami Fard became the first Iranian woman to achieve one of the most coveted milestones in mountaineering, a feat accomplished by only a handful of climbers worldwide, according to Chhang Dawa Sherpa, Expedition Director at the Seven Summit Treks. 

“She has shown remarkable courage and consistency over years of climbing the world’s highest mountains,” said Dawa Sherpa. “Her Cho Oyu success adds another proud chapter to women’s mountaineering history.”

Dr. Fard, a physician by profession, has become the first Iranian woman to conquer all 14 of the world's highest peaks, a record she now shares with her compatriot, Azim Gheichisaz, the first Iranian man to achieve the same feat.

Pasang Tenji Sherpa, one of Nepal’s most accomplished high-altitude guides, also marked his 13th 8,000er with this expedition.

Situated on the Nepal–China border, Mt. Cho Oyu, the “Turquoise Goddess” of the Himalayas, is the sixth-highest mountain in the world and a dream climb for alpinists pursuing the 14 highest peaks.