Iranian mountaineer Afsaneh Hesamifard has etched her name in history, becoming the first Iranian woman to summit all 14 of the world’s highest mountains above 8,000 meters, after successfully scaling Mt. Cho Oyu (8,188m) on Tuesday morning.
According to Seven Summit Treks (SST), Hesamifard reached the top of the world’s sixth-highest peak alongside fellow climbers Chung-Han Lu from Taiwan and Anar Burasheva from Kazakhstan, with support from Nepali mountain guides Tashi Sherpa and Pasang Tenji Sherpa.
With this ascent, Hesamifard joins a global climbers who have conquered all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter giants, a distinction previously held by only one Iranian, Azim Gheichisaz, in the men’s category.
At 8,188 meters, Cho Oyu, whose name translates to “Turquoise Goddess” in Tibetan—lies along the border between Nepal and China’s Tibet Autonomous Region.
The mountain, known for its long ridgelines and relative technical accessibility, has long been a proving ground for mountaineers pursuing all 14 of the planet’s highest peaks.
Hesamifard’s ascent of Cho Oyu follows a string of landmark climbs in recent years.
In 2022, she made history by becoming the first Iranian woman to scale K2 (8,611m)—the world’s second-highest and most perilous peak, often dubbed the “Savage Mountain.”
K2’s reputation for danger is legendary: winds can exceed 200 kilometers per hour, and temperatures often plunge below minus 60°C. Despite these conditions, Hesamifard’s determination saw her to the top, making her one of only a handful of women globally to have ever conquered the mountain.
That same year, she also became the third Iranian woman to summit Mount Everest (8,849m), the highest point on Earth.
In 2023, Hesamifard scaled Annapurna I (8,091m), one of the deadliest mountains in the world, to become the first Iranian woman to reach its summit. Annapurna, located in north-central Nepal’s Gandaki Province, is notorious for its steep faces and avalanche-prone routes.
By joining Gheichisaz in completing all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks, Hesamifard not only makes mountaineering history but also extends Iran’s legacy in high-altitude climbing.