Rouhani, who was secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council for 16 years and top nuclear negotiator from 2003 to 2005, appeals to many of the more moderate and reformist voters who supported Mir Hossein Mousavi in the 2009 election, as well as elements within the current political system. This view of Rouhani as a moderate sympathetic of the reform movement is common among his supporters despite his own background as a well-connected member of Iran's clerical elite. Characterized by their desire for a less-antagonistic relationship with the West, Iran's moderates and reformists also advocate for economic liberalization and growth and less direct involvement of the clerical and military forces, which are seen as corrupt, in day-to-day governance. This pragmatism reflects the changing demographics of the Iranian population.