TEHRAN – Issa Omidvar, the legendary Iranian traveler, documentary filmmaker, and researcher who along with his brother Abdullah put Iran on the global map of contemporary exploration, passed away in Tehran on Saturday. He was 97. 

He had been hospitalized for several days due to complications related to old age, Persian media reported. 

His death marks the end of an era for Iranian exploration, leaving behind a legacy that transformed how the world viewed the "other."

Born on December 23, 1929, he and his younger brother Abdullah were the first modern Iranian globetrotters to embark on extensive research-based expeditions to the most remote corners of the world in the mid-20th century.

Starting from Tehran in 1954, the brothers’ first seven-year odyssey was a feat of endurance. The brothers began their epic adventure with just $90 each and two British-made 500cc Matchless, through the rugged terrains of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They crossed into India, Southeast Asia, and eventually reached Australia. From there, they crossed the Pacific to explore the vast landscapes of Alaska and the Arctic Circle, where they lived among the Inuit people, documenting the harsh realities of life in the frozen north.

Their anthropological curiosity then led them to the depths of the Amazon rainforest. In an era long before GPS or satellite communication, the Omidvars were among the first outsiders to make peaceful contact with the Jivaro headhunters and other indigenous tribes of South America. Their footage of these encounters remains some of the most important ethnographic records in existence.

Upon completing their first trek, and after a brief return to Iran, the French company Citroën gifted them a 2CV car, which they used for a subsequent three-year journey across the Americas and Europe. Their explorations were not mere sightseeing; they were pioneering anthropologists who documented tribes and societies that have since vanished or been transformed by modernity. 

They braved the Sahara Desert and reached the Congo, where they spent months researching the Pygmies. Their adventure culminated in a historic trip to Antarctica, making them the first Iranians to set foot on the southernmost continent.

Throughout their travels, Issa and Abdullah acted as unofficial ambassadors of Iranian culture. They met with world leaders and intellectuals, but their heart remained with the common people. "We didn't travel to see monuments; we traveled to see humanity," Issa once remarked in an interview. 

While Abdullah eventually settled in Chile—becoming a prominent figure in Chilean cinema before passing away in 2022 at the age of 89—Issa returned to Iran to preserve their findings.

Their remarkable decade-long journey was even highlighted by The Guardian, which revisited their rare documentary footage, showcasing their bravery in navigating the Amazon, the Arctic, and the Congo. 

Their collection in the Saadabad Complex—which includes everything from primitive hunting tools of the Amazon to ceremonial masks from Africa and even a fragment of a meteorite—serves as a bridge between Tehran and the most remote corners of the globe. 

While the Omidvar Brothers Museum recently sustained damages during the US-Israeli attack on the Iranian soil, the spirit of their work—symbolized by the phrase "All Different, All Related"—remains more relevant than ever. The museum’s collection of 16mm films and thousands of photographs continues to be a primary source for researchers studying the mid-20th-century world.

Issa Omidvar spent his final years in Tehran, meticulously organizing their archives and inspiring young Iranians to look beyond their borders with courage and compassion. His passing comes just days before a scheduled ceremony to honor him on International Museum Day on May 18.

SAB/