Hamid Baghaei (Persian: حميد بقایی) is an Iranian conservative politician and former intelligence officer[1] who is considered one of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's closest confidants.

[3] He first entered the administration in 2006 as deputy of Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei in the Cultural Heritage, Handcrafts and Tourism Organization.

In 2011, he simultaneously held the position of vice president in charge of executive affairs and supervised the presidential administration.

[4] In 2017, for the misuse of public funds while in office, he was sentenced to 63 years in prison.

[5] On 18 February 2017, Baghaei announced his candidacy in the 2017 Iranian presidential election as an 'independent’ candidate.