▁run ▁a ▁nuclear ▁weapons ▁program . ▁The ▁former ▁head ▁of ▁the ▁I AE A , ▁Moh amed ▁El Bar ade i , ▁stated ▁that ▁he ▁had ▁seen ▁" maybe ▁some ▁studies ▁about ▁possible ▁weapon ization ", ▁but ▁" no ▁evidence " ▁of ▁" an ▁active ▁weapon ization ▁program " ▁as ▁of ▁October ▁ 2 0 0 7 . ▁Thomas ▁F ing ar , ▁former ▁Chair man ▁of ▁the ▁National ▁Int elligence ▁Council ▁until ▁December ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁in ▁reference ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁Iran ▁N IE ▁and ▁using ▁intelligence ▁to ▁anticip ate ▁opportun ities ▁and ▁shape ▁the ▁future , ▁said ▁intelligence ▁has ▁a ▁" re cent ly ▁rein for ced ▁prop ens ity ▁to ▁unders core , ▁over state , ▁or ▁' h ype ' ▁the ▁find ings ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁get ▁people ▁to ▁pay ▁attention " ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁N IE ▁was ▁intended ▁to ▁send ▁the ▁message ▁" you ▁do ▁not ▁have ▁a ▁lot ▁of ▁time ▁but ▁you ▁appear ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁diplom atic ▁or ▁non - mil it ary ▁option ". ▁A ▁National ▁Int elligence ▁Est imate ▁( N IE ) ▁is ▁the ▁most ▁author itative ▁written ▁judgment ▁concerning ▁a ▁national ▁security ▁issue ▁prepared ▁by ▁the ▁Director ▁of ▁Central ▁Int elligence . ▁ ▁The ▁U . S . ▁Director ▁of ▁National ▁Int elligence ▁said ▁in ▁February ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁that ▁Iran ▁would ▁not ▁real ist ically ▁be ▁able ▁to ▁a ▁get ▁a ▁nuclear ▁weapon ▁until ▁ 2 0