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Amou Haji, described as "the world's dirtiest man" after not showering in decades, has died at the age of 94, Iranian state news agency IRNA reported on Tuesday (October 25) via BBC.com.
Haji, who is reported to have refused soap and water for more than 50 years in fear that it would make him sick, died in the province of Fars in southern Iran.
Local media said Haji finally succumbed to pressure from villagers to get clean and washed a few months ago.
The 94-year-old is reported to have become ill shortly afterward and died on Sunday (October 23), according to IRNA.
Haji, who was described by multiple media outlets as a hermit, had previously told the Terhan Times in 2014 that he lived between a hole in the ground and a brick shack built by concerned neighbors in the Dejgah village and that his favorite meal was porcupine.
He cited "emotional setbacks" during his younger years while describing his unusual living situation.
Haji is reported to have had his skin covered in "soot and pus" from decades of not bathing and eaten rotten meat with unsanitary water from an old oil can, according to IRNA.
The 94-year-old was also reported to be fond of smoking, as seen in a photo captured of him with a cigarette in his mouth.
Whether Haji holds the record for longest amount of time without bathing is still up for debate.
An Indian man was reported to have gone without bathing or brushing his teeth for 35 years as of 2009, however, it's unclear what has happened to him since.