Hamid Baghaei is an Iranian principlist politician and former intelligence officer who is considered one of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's closest confidants. 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.