Iran minister's social media stint sparks talk of openness – or fix

Foreign minister Javad Zarif appears on Clubhouse forum to take questions from some 8,000 people

Iran's foreign minister has taken to the social media forum Clubhouse to answer questions in front of 8,000 people, in a move regarded by some as showing an unprecedented degree of openness but denounced by others as a fix in which unwelcome queries were not permitted.

Javad Zarif is the latest in a line of politicians to try out a medium that is proving increasingly popular in Iran amid a growing demand for political debate and discussion.