Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, June 2:

Twenty-one climbers from different expedition teams scaled the world’s highest peak today, according to the mountaineering division of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. Twelve climbers from Nepal, three from the USA, one from UK, one from Canada, one from Ecuador, one from South Africa and two from Singapore successfully summitted Everest.

Two Iranians also scaled the peak, becoming first Muslim women to conquer Everest. Farkhondeh Sadegh, 36, a graphic designer, and Loleh Keshavarz, 26, a dentist, hoisted their country’s tricoloured flag on the summit together with six Iranian men at 10:45 am last Monday from the Nepali side of the mountain, Rajendar Pandey from ministry of tourism and civil aviation confirmed. It was fantastic and unforgettable, Sadegh said after her return to Kathmandu today. According to her, Loleh and other teammates will soon arrive here. “It is a very big thing for women in Iran. Because of weather conditions, most climbers here had expected the Iranian team to return unsuccessfully.”