Mohammad Ali Abtahi, a reformist former vice-president of Iran, now an adviser to the current president, talks with BBC online about his blog.

Some excerpts:

When did you start thinking about launching a website?

I became familiar with the internet in 1993 or 1994. At first I just used it to get information, but then I began visiting weblogs regularly and out of personal interest decided to launch a weblog of my own.

I have always had many things to say which I could not say in the newspapers. I thought the best way to speak about them would be in a weblog.

Do you manage to perform all your government duties as well as blogging or do the two sometimes interfere with each other?

Many people ask me this question. I don't think a person should blog or use the internet when they have nothing to do.

More importantly, I think all executive officials should spend some of their time to read people's emails. This is how they can listen to and understand people's voices directly.

I don't see my blogging as a spare time hobby.