They are sleek contrasts in style and tone. But the campaign videos of the presidential race's two presumed front-runners are even further apart in their message to Iran's 55 million eligible voters.
Incumbent Hassan Rohani, a 68-year-old relative moderate with four years and a contentious nuclear deal with world powers under his belt, tells Iranians that "we are halfway there." Continue the journey with me, he says.
Ebrahim Raisi, a longtime prosecutor who some say could eventually succeed the country's aging supreme leader, says he's in the race to "save people from this situation."
It can be notoriously tricky to predict election outcomes in Iran, where candidates can drop out at the last moment and polling is unreliable.
But as three weeks of official campaigning winds down ahead of the May 19 presidential vote, clues to each man's strategy emerge from the clips, which have been complemented by live debates among six candidates and measured appeals by surrogates on Iranian state media. (A conservative candidate on the ballot, Tehran Mayor Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, withdrew with a week left; and reformist First Vice President Eshaq Jahangiri, a Rohani ally, dropped out on May 16.)
Rohani, a cleric who oversaw the landmark 2015 nuclear deal that limited Tehran's sensitive nuclear activities in exchange for sanctions relief, is seen shaking hands with world leaders.
"Through constructive engagement, we want our rights," Rohani intones, alluding to his efforts to bring Tehran in from the cold, diplomatically and economically.
Although he is seeking a second four-year term, Rohani blames policies of the past for some problems while highlighting his own achievements, including improved access to medication and projects of environmental revival.
Conservative cleric Raisi, by most accounts the president's leading rival, is shown in his campaign video visiting the poor to offer comfort. He criticizes poverty, unemployment, and the banking and monetary system, and says that Iranians deserve more.
Raisi recalls his childhood as an orphan, saying he hasn't just heard about poverty. "I have felt it," says the man named just over a year ago to head one of the country's wealthiest and most politically influential charities, adding, "It can be done."
There are plenty of other signature moments.
'Laughing Not Haram'
At one point, Rohani, who sharpened his tone once the official three-week campaign began, pokes fun at state broadcasting, mocked by many Iranians for its tough censorship and low-quality programming.
"Our state TV," he says, simply laughing. The audience claps and cheers in approval.
In another scene, the Iranian president speaks of hope and the need for people to be able to be joyful. "Nothing is more important than hope for a nation," Rohani says. "Do not make people despair. Let people be a bit happy."
And later: "How come crying is 'halal' but a bit of laughing is 'haram'?" he asks, invoking the Koranic terms for behaviors that are acceptable or prohibited.
The Rohani video also highlights achievements by Iranian athletes, including women whom the president identifies by name and credits with bringing joy to Iranians. "Today, by the grace of God, our women have gotten onto the sports scene," he says over images of top female athletes in action and receiving medals.
Highlights Women, Minorities
Rohani's video also highlights the importance of the role of women in society.
Some of the president's critics on the left have accused him of abandoning his pledges from 2013 to seek greater rights for women, who face discrimination in the eyes of the courts, on public transportation and at public events, and in many other spheres.
"How is it possible to have a successful economy if half of society's members stay at home?" he asks, adding, "What kind of thinking is it to believe that women's security and morality are only secured within the four walls of a house?"
Rohani's video also features images of Iran's ethnic minorities, saying that they should not be seen as a threat but are part of what lends greatness to Iran.
Rohani also raises concerns about online censorship, including Iranian authorities' routine filtering of social media to prevent the general public from access to news, information, and Western influence. The clip shows images of social-media accounts belonging to Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
"Can we live with filtering and bans?" he asks.
Rohani also advocates for freedom of speech, saying that opponents and critics should also be able to express themselves. The video shows newspaper headlines blasting him and his policies.
'Friend Of The Poor'
Raisi's video includes images of the poor, including street children, juxtaposed with luxury buildings and massive shopping malls that the video blames for taking a toll on jobs. It portrays Rohani's government as favoring the rich.
In one of the scenes, a man is sitting on the floor of his house, speaking into the camera: "I don't have insurance, nor an income." "I have nothing," he adds.
The scene is followed by newspaper headlines over a controversy that erupted last year concerning lucrative salaries for government officials.
The video is peppered with segments of Raisi's speeches in which he criticizes the gap between the rich and poor and corruption. "We have never seen such stagnation," he laments.
In one scene, the camera zooms in on headlines in English-language media speculating that Raisi could be a candidate to succeed Khamenei, who is the country's ultimate leader in political and religious affairs.
Conservative Credentials
At one point, Raisi is asked about concerts that were staunchly opposed by cultural hard-liners including his father-in-law, a Friday Prayers leader in Mashhad who has campaigned to ban concerts promoted by Rohani's Culture Ministry.
The stern-faced Raisi says he is a supporter of concerts that are "within norms," and downplays the significance of such concerns. "Are concerts really the country's [major] issue?" he asks, adding, "Won't the unemployed laugh at us?"
The cleric also speaks in favor of women's role in the society. "When we first got married, my wife wanted very much to study," Raisi says. "She asked me whether I'd let her study. I said 'definitely,'" he adds, noting that his wife has a doctorate in pedagogy.
The video shows images of Raisi's wife, Jamileh Alamolhoda, who teaches at Shahid Beheshti University, at public speaking events.
In addition to Rohani and Raisi, the remaining candidates in the May 19 vote are conservative former Culture Minister Mostafa Mirsalim and former Iranian National Olympic Committee head Mostafa Hashemitaba, a centrist.
Tehran Mayor and former prosecutor Qalibaf dropped out of the race on May 15, and reformist First Vice President Jahangiri, whose role appeared largely aimed at bolstering his incumbent boss's own bid, withdrew on May 16.
Around 1,600 would-be candidates had their applications rejected by the Guardians Council, the country's clerically dominated election supervisor.
If no candidate wins a majority of votes cast in the first round, a runoff between the two leading vote getters would follow on May 26.
