Zainab Erfanian in an interview with Fars News: “I had been selected for ‘Red Squares'”

If we were to survey Zainab Erfanian’s writing career, we might simply point to her three published works. But when observing an author whose craft has matured book by book—with “Red Squares” representing such quantum growth—even discussing her bibliography feels redundant. This oral history of 100 martyrs, narrated by Haj Hossein Yekta, doesn’t just distinguish itself within the genre; it marks Erfanian’s own artistic evolution.

Unlike conventional linear martyrdom narratives, “Red Squares” compels readers to set aside expectations from page one. Its deliberate narrative fractures create a novelistic thirst to continue—a mosaic of emotion, memory, and meticulously arranged details that coalesce into a profoundly moving work.

On Narrative Innovation
Q: “Red Squares” found immediate resonance for its unconventional structure. Why this approach?
“The final version emerged after 14 rewrites over three years. Each memory could stand as an independent story—the challenge was structural cohesion. Haj Yekta dedicated remarkable time to interviews, often cross-checking details with surviving comrades.”

Q: How did new discoveries impact the process?
“Documenting 100 martyrs demanded absolute precision. I surrendered the work to the martyrs themselves—once I made that spiritual concession (tawassul), obstacles dissolved.”

On Verification
While Haj Yekta’s razor-sharp memory (honed through decades of Rahian-e Noor pilgrimages) provided the foundation, every account was verified:
“We tracked down a comrade now working as a doctor to reconstruct details about Martyr Moghaddam when Haj Yekta’s memory faltered. At one point, 10 couriers fanned across Iran simultaneously to collect confirmations.”

On the Title’s Origin
The book’s name derives from Haj Yekta’s red notebook—where he’d draw squares beside martyrs’ names. Severely wounded in Operation Badr, he continued marking squares from his hospital bed, whispering: “May someone someday draw a red square by my name.”

On the Cover Design
(Laughs) “The scattered red squares? Yes, one landed near my name—I teased Haj Yekta about it being premature. That square represents my distant aspiration.”

On Divine Serendipity
Erfanian sees providence in her projects: from accidentally rediscovering a classmate’s martyr-father at a mourning assembly (leading to her first book), to meeting three martyrs’ mothers at “Red Squares”‘ launch—now the subject of her next work.

Meeting the Supreme Leader
When introduced as the author of Rasoul-e Multan, the Leader remarked: “I’ve read it, but I must criticize Martyr Rahim—he scarcely saw his family despite three young children.” His observation highlighted the spouses’ equal sacrifice.

Of Red Squares, he quipped: “You’ve perfectly captured Haj Yekta’s talkative nature!” before urging: “Such efforts must increase hundredfold—countless unwritten stories remain.