TEHRAN- A Serbian translation of the memoirs of Iranian war heroine Farangis Heidarpour has recently been published in Serbia. 

Translated by Nermin Hodzic and edited by Milica Antić, the book has been published by Agnosta Publications in collaboration with the Iranian Cultural Attaché in Sarajevo, Serbia, ISNA reported on Monday. 

Written by Mahnaz Fattahi, "Farangis" is considered one of the significant works in the domain of resistance literature. The book chronicles the life of Farangis Heidarpour, an Iranian Kurdish heroine who confronted Iraqi soldiers after their village Evazin near the border between Iran and Iraq was invaded during the 1980-1988 Iran-Iraq war, and, despite facing immense hardships throughout eight years of conflict, never wavered in her resistance.

The Serbian publisher has introduced the book by stating: "This story is notable as it does not portray a woman merely as a victim, but instead as a fighter, the key to freedom and defense of the homeland. With her extraordinary strength, she withstands all limitations, dangers, fear, and the death brought about by war. It teaches us that an individual, if they believe strongly enough, can change the world."

In 2018, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei penned a commendation for the book.  

“A significant and untold portion of the war stories can be observed in the memoires of this brave and devoted lady,” Ayatollah Khamenei wrote.

“Brave lady Farangis has conversed with us with her strong spirit, the honest and kindly language of a villager, and the genuinely pleasant feelings of a woman. She has also shown us an unknown and important area of the imposed war geography in detail.”

The Leader also praised Fattahi for her creative writing.

In an interview with the Tehran Times in 2022, Fattahi emphasized the importance of documenting women's wartime memories, asserting that while historical narratives have often focused on male soldiers, women played a significant yet underrecognized role. 

She pointed out that after the war, there was a consensus that it was essential to record these memories, but initially, men's experiences dominated the narrative. Women, who supported and contributed to the war effort in various ways, including serving as relief workers and even taking up arms like Farangis, remained largely unacknowledged in literary accounts.

Fattahi noted that while men’s recollections tended toward dry, impersonal literature, women's stories brought a more nuanced and soulful perspective to the narrative of war. Addressing the audience for her book, she mentioned that although it might be perceived as primarily targeting women, many men have engaged with the themes, indicating its broader appeal. 

The process of capturing Farangis Heidarpour’s memoirs inspired Fattahi, despite facing numerous obstacles in securing interviews and gathering documentation. Ultimately, her work strives to highlight the significant yet overlooked contributions of women during wartime.

“Farangis” was published in 2015 by Sureh-Mehr, a major publishing company affiliated with the Art Bureau of the Islamic Ideology Dissemination Organization. 

SAB/