An Iranian woman pays homage to Iranian major general Qasem Soleimani at the Islamic Republic of Iran Embassy in Beijing. Iranians in Beijing gathered Tuesday night to pay tribute to Soleimani and his companions. They placed flowers and candles in front of the embassy. Photo: Li Hao/GT

Nearly 100 Iranians gathered in Beijing on Tuesday night to pay tribute to former Iranian major general Qasem Soleimani and his martyred companions who were killed in the recent US drone strike.

They laid sympathy flowers and lit memorial candles in front of the Islamic Republic of Iran Embassy in Beijing at 6:30 pm.

Even before the mourning began, Iranian families, including many children, and young students, had gathered outside the embassy on a cold Beijing winter's night. They had bouquets of flowers to mourn their national hero.

Some of the mourners told the Global Times that they had asked the embassy to allow the gathering to go ahead so they could pay their respects to the soul of Soleimani.

Mourners laid flowers in front of Soleimani's portrait, lit candles and chanted their blessings.

"General Soleimani was a focal person in the fight against ISIS. So, all people in Iran loved him and regarded him as a hero. And you have seen millions of people mourning in the streets for his martyrdom," Hassan ShahbeIg, a mourner, told the Global Times.

"Soleimani was a very big character, not only in Iran, but also across the Middle East because if the Middle East is not secure, the other regions cannot be secure either," he continued.

Some Chinese students also volunteered to pay their respects at the Embassy. "I came with my Iranian friend as I support Iranian people morally. Iran is a very important friend of China in the Middle East. Iran's peace has not come easily," Chen Zijing, a Chinese student, told the Global Times.

"Regardless of nationalities, we are here together to send our condolences. We think that the US striking this voice of humanity was a grave mistake and they will regret it. The world will never forgive what the US has done," said another mourner called Ghulam Mustala at the commemoration.