Tehran: The sight of a politician smiling and chatting with people on a march though an Australian shopping mall is a staple of political campaigns

However, for the crowds jammed along the narrow alleys of Tajrish bazaar in northern Tehran, the sudden appearance of a gaggle of cameramen around Julie Bishop as she looked at rows of coloured spices and shops full of hanging trinkets seemed to come as a jolt.

News spread quickly of Foreign Minister Julie Bishop's trip to a bazaar in Tehran, where western politicians are a rare sight. Credit:Andrew Meares

Western politicians are a rare sight in Tehran, let alone walking the streets. Yet, news of Bishop's trip to Iran had clearly spread.