Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has attracted both criticism and applause for her controversial decision to wear a headscarf during her visit to Iran. Bishop, who is Australia's highest-ranking official to visit Iran in 12 years, donned a black headscarf during a meeting with Iranian president Hassan Rouhani and her Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif. Social media lit up as those from both sides of the argument weighed in on whether Bishop was right to cover her head in keeping with local custom, while political commentators and politicians have also voiced their opinions. Scroll down for video . To veil or not to veil: Australia's Foreign Minister Julie Bishop has sparked a debate over her choice to wear a scarf during her visit to Iran . 'You respect the culture wherever you are': The Foreign Minister also met with her counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif, and later defended her wearing of the headscarf that sparked the debate . Accessories: Bishop also donned a hat during the trip, which attracted several unfortunate comparisons to Michael Jackson's Smooth Criminal music video on social media . 'Good on #JulieBishop for respecting another country's culture! That's true feminism,' Twitter user Sawyer remarked. 'I'm not religious but I am respectful. I don't like Bishop but I'm glad she respected Iran and their culture,' Brianna Refalo added. While Westerners are not required by law to cover their heads, the Foreign Minister said she did so out of respect for the culture. 'When I went for an audience with the Pope, they told me I had to wear a scarf,' the Foreign Minister told the Australian. 'So I wore a scarf. You respect the culture wherever you are.' Criticism: Michelle Obama attracted criticism for refusing to cover her head at the funeral of Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah in January . Neither Hillary Clinton nor Condoleezza Rice were veiled for their trips to the Middle East during their tenures as US Secretary of State, except for when visiting Mosques. 'I support Julie Bishop wearing a head scarf while overseas... but saying that it's part of her daily outfit though, not so much,' wrote Rodney Gordon on Twitter. The tweet was in reference to an earlier comment given by Bishop to Sydney Morning Herald, in which she appeared to deny her ensemble was purely political. 'As a matter of fact I wear scarves and hats and headgear quite often as part of my everyday wear,' Bishop said. The hat and scarf combo Bishop later donned also attracted a number of unfortunate comparisons to Michael Jackson on social media. Opinion: Views on Twitter were divided... while some just liked the sartorial style . Iranian Journalist and founder of Facebook page 'My Stealthy Freedom, Masih Alinejad, wrote a post calling for the Foreign Minister to raise the issue of the compulsory wearing of a hijab for women in Iran. 'Madam Bishop was asked not to give in to the compulsory veil and to raise her voice very much like numerous Iranian women who have started doing so,' Alinejad wrote on Facebook. 'We also asked the Australian foreign minister to ask the officials of the Islamic Republic to respect her personal values and not to impose the compulsory veil on Iranian women.' Iranian Journalist Masih Alinejad wrote a post on her Facebook group 'My Stealthy Freedom' calling for the Foreign Minister to raise the issue of the compulsory wearing of a hijab for women in Iran during her visit . Meanwhile Opposition Leader Bill Shorten waded into the debate, following Andrew Bolt's comments that Bishop should have 'stood up for Western values' and that she looked 'ridiculous'. 'I think it's ridiculous to criticise Julie Bishop for wearing a headscarf in Iran,' Mr Shorten said. '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. Going bare: Hillary Clinton did not don a scarf during her visit to Saudi Arabia as Secretary of State in 2012 . ... nor did Condoleezza Rice during her visit in 2007 . '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.' On Saturday Bishop hailed Iran's efforts to crush the jihadist Islamic State group in Iraq, saying on a rare trip to Tehran that the militants can be defeated. Australia is part of an international coalition in Iraq and has 500 troops deployed there. Iran, though not part of the coalition, has run a parallel campaign using Shiite militias and military advisers to reverse the IS surge that came close to felling the Baghdad government last June. 'We are witnessing a more complex and dangerous form of terrorism with Daesh,' Bishop said at a joint press conference, using an Arabic acronym to refer to the militant group. The Foreign Minister met with President Hassan Rouhani in Tehran on Saturday . 'Both countries can contribute in the fight against this terrorist organisation and put an end to the misery of the people in Iraq,' she said, referring to Iran and Australia's efforts. Iraq needs 'a strong and stable government' added Bishop, who along with Zarif said Australia and Iran were in Iraq at the request of the Baghdad government in fighting IS. 'The fight against Daesh and terrorism in Iraq should be managed by the Iraqi government,' Zarif said. 'Anything we do in Iraq is in coordination with the Iraqi government.' From Iran, the Foreign Minister travels to Paris, Berlin and Brussels. She wrote on Twitter that the trip intends to 'advance Australia's economic/security interests in Europe.'
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop attracted criticism and applause for move . Views on social media were mixed about respecting local custom . Opposition leader Bill Shorten supported Bishop's decision .