The NIE also confirmed two assumptions that have since guided European diplomatic approach: Iran reacts to external incentives and disincentives, and taking legitimate Iranian interests into consideration is the best way to influence Iran’s leaders. Most Europeans who have been dealing with the issue also assume that Iran is aiming at capacities that would eventually make available all options, including quick development of a nuclear weapon, rather than actually acquiring, let alone testing, a weapon and thereby violating the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
NIE还确认了一直指导欧洲外交策略的两种假设：伊朗会对外部的积极和消极因素做出回应，考虑伊朗人的合法利益是对伊朗领导人施加影响的最佳方式。与这一问题打交道的大多数欧洲人还认为伊朗的目的是最终拥有全面的核能力，包括快速发展而不是购买核武器，更别说测试核武器了。这样它就会违反《核不扩散条约》。