Hamid Baqai

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Hamid Baqai
حميد بقایی
File:Hamid Baqai.JPG
Head of Presidential Center of Iran
In office
9 April 2011 – 4 August 2013
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Preceded by Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei
Succeeded by Mohammad Nahavandian
(as Chief of Staff)
Head of Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization
In office
30 July 2009 – 9 April 2011
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Preceded by Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei
Succeeded by Ruhollah Ahmadzadeh
Deputy Head of Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization
In office
24 August 2005 – 30 July 2009
President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad
Head Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei
Preceded by Rahman Moadabi
Succeeded by Nasrin Sepehri
Personal details
Born (1969-04-06) 6 April 1969 (age 55)
Gilan, Iran
Political party Alliance of Builders of Islamic Iran
Spouse(s) Ghasri Zarghami Sabet
Alma mater Iran University of Science and Technology
Religion Shia Islam

Hamid Baqai (Persian: حميد بقایی‎‎; born 6 April 1969) is an Iranian politician who was the head of presidential center from 9 April 2011 until 3 August 2013.[1] He has been described as a pragmatic, moderate conservative with "liberal views on cultural and social issues."[2] He was also a senior adviser to President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Early life and education

Baqai was born on 6 April 1969 in Gilan, Iran. He was raised in Lahijan City of Gilan. He holds a bachelor's degree from Isfahan University of Technology in management.

Political career

Baqai was appointed deputy head of cultural heritage and tourism organization on 24 August 2005 by Esfandiar Rahim Mashaei. When Mashaei became first vice president of Iran in July 2009, he was appointed as head of organization and was in office until 9 April 2011 when he became head of presidential center of Iran and succeeded Rahim Mashaei again.

On 21 May 2011, he was banned from public offices for four years because he was exposed as having a part in a multimillion-dollar embezzlement during the construction of a building in Kish Island.[1] The building was planned for the summit of countries of the Non-aligned movement. The paper[who?] said Baqai had paid the contractor roughly $340 million in addition to the initial amount on the contract. State-run media revealed that the contractor, Fiak Company, was founded by a regime-affiliated individual abroad on the recommendation of Baqai and Mashaei. The company was started by officially declaring $1,000 in its holdings.

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "LATimes" defined multiple times with different content
  2. AFP: Iran's Ahmadinejad in new showdown with conservatives

External links

Political offices
Preceded by Head of Cultural Heritage and Tourism Organization
2009–2011
Succeeded by
Ruhollah Ahmadzadeh
Head of Presidential Center of Iran
2011–2013
Succeeded by
Mohammad Nahavandian
as Chief of Staff