( CNN ) Australia , an important ally of the United States , has agreed to share some of its intelligence with Iran . Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop said the deal is `` an informal arrangement '' with an emphasis on tracking Australians who go to Iraq to fight for ISIS . But one Australian lawmaker reportedly described the move as `` dancing with the devil . '' Over the weekend , Bishop became the first Australian government minister to visit Iran in 12 years , meeting with President Hassan Rouhani . The intelligence-sharing deal was announced in an interview released Monday that Bishop gave to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation while in Tehran . `` During my discussions with the national leadership here , it was agreed that we could share intelligence , particularly on the foreign terrorist fighters from Australia who are taking part in this conflict in Iraq , '' she said . The Iranians `` were very agreeable to share that information with us , '' she added . Like many Western nations , Australia is grappling with the problem of citizens who are choosing to travel to Iraq and Syria to join ISIS , which calls itself the Islamic State . Australia is part of the U.S.-led coalition that 's carrying out airstrikes against ISIS . During the fight against the Sunni extremist group , the coalition has found its interests aligned at times with those of Iran , a Shiite-majority nation that has strong ties with the Iraqi government . Iran-backed Shiite militias played an important role in the recent battle to take the Iraqi city of Tikrit from ISIS jihadists . `` Iran has a long standing relationship with Iraq , and as you point out , they have a very strong military presence there . They also have an influence over the Shia militia who are operating within Iraq , '' she said . `` So they are in Iraq , in places that we are not . They also have a very sophisticated intelligence network and they have a lot of information that they 've been gathering . '' Bishop , who left Tehran on Sunday , declined to give details of the agreement with Iran . `` Obviously , if Iran has information that will be of interest to us , and if we have information that would be of interest to them , in pursuing our common purpose in defeating Daesh , then that 's an appropriate exchange , '' she said , using an alternative name for ISIS . But Andrew Wilkie , an independent Australian member of parliament , criticized the plan . `` The announcement by the Foreign Minister that Australia is entering into a security arrangement with the regime in Tehran really should send shudders down the spine of every Australian , '' he said , according to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation . `` When you start dancing with the devil in a place like Tehran , then we run the risk of becoming almost as bad as those who we dance with , '' Wilkie told reporters .
Australian foreign minister says deal is to focus on tracking citizens who join ISIS . But one lawmaker describes it as `` dancing with the devil ''