When in Rome … Julie Bishop heads off scarf stir

Bill Shorten has defended the Foreign Minister against criticism over her wearing a scarf while in Iran.

Julie Bishop Day 3 Iran

Bill Shorten has defended the Foreign Minister against criticism over her decision to wear a headscarf while in Iran.

Ms Bishop opted to wear a hat and headscarf covering half her hair for the historic talks held over the weekend, saying they were a regular part of her “everyday wear”.

“I think it’s ridiculous to criticise Julie Bishop for wearing a headscarf in Iran,’’ Mr Shorten said today.

“Would they criticise Julie Bishop if she wore a scarf to meet the pope? If I wore a yarmulke in Israel to certain events, I don’t think that would be inappropriate.

“What really matters here is regardless of Liberal or Labor, that our representatives when they go overseas behave in a sensible, non-ideological, pragmatic fashion.

“It just makes common sense that when you go to someone’s house, or indeed someone’s nation, you’re just a bit respectful of the customs and traditions of the place that you’re visiting.”

Ms Bishop’s decision to wear the scarf has attracted criticism both at home and abroad. News Corp commentator Andrew Bolt said Ms Bishop should have “stood up for Western values’’ and not covered her head during her meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani.

Iranian political journalist Masih Alinejad, who founded a web page, My Stealthy Freedom, showing women freeing themselves from wearing the hijab, has said Ms Bishop was not “brave enough to challenge the compulsory hijab rules’’.

“You may say you were respecting Iran’s culture but compulsory hijab is not part of our culture,” she said.

Ms Bishop has laughed off the criticism.

“When I went for an audience with the Pope, they told me I had to wear a scarf,” the Foreign Minister said. “So I wore a scarf.

“You respect the culture wherever you are.”

This week, as she navigated the Islamic theocracy that is Iran, Ms Bishop again donned a scarf, a black sequined number topped at times with a neat black hat.

She pinned the black scarf in place with some balancing bling, a large silver butterfly brooch.

And then, with talks completed on Iran’s nuclear ambitions — or not — plus Iraq, terrorism and the safety of Australia’s Diggers, Ms Bishop took a walk through the markets of Tehran.

The minister adeptly strode across the paving stones in high heels and quickly became a magnet for young women in particular.

At Tajrish Bazaar, the boldest of the burka-clad ladies eased over for selfies with the visitor among the fruit and vegetables, rugs and minor mountains of spices.

One who sought Ms Bishop out was 25-year-old Hamdeh Mahmoodi, a London-born schoolteacher who said she loved to return to Iran regularly to visit family.

Ms Bishop said on her walks she felt a strong yearning for normality and an end to the sanctions designed to head off Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

She noted American goods in the shops and the stylish clothes and lipstick under the black gowns and quickly concluded that the local people wanted a greater share of Western culture reflected everywhere in Tehran, despite sanctions.

“There’s regret that there’s not a relationship with America,’’ Ms Bishop said.

“They’re a very proud people, but I think there is genuine regret that the relationship with the US deteriorated to the extent that it did and that it has remained so for such a long time.”

Her Iranian counterpart, Foreign Minister Mohammed Javad Zarif, was educated in America as a contemporary of former US secretary of state Condoleezza Rice.

“They all have personal recollections of studying in the US, of better times,” Ms Bishop said.

“I found those insights quite telling.”

Despite diplomatic ties being severed long ago, there was still a strong American influence.

“They talk about the number of Iranians living in the US, Iranian pop stars and the ‘Tehran-geles’, those in Los Angeles, and it’s such a part of Hollywood,’’ Ms Bishop said.

“They say it’s part of their culture, they’ve absorbed so much of their pop culture from the US.

“It’s great that wherever you go, there are young people keen to have a selfie with a politician.”