Iran has moved swiftly to restore ballistic missile facilities damaged in strikes last year, while reconstruction work at key nuclear sites has progressed more slowly and on a more limited scale, The New York Times reported on Friday, citing an analysis of satellite imagery.

According to the report, the uneven pace of repairs indicates that missile production has been treated as a short-term priority, The Caspian Post informs.

“Threatening Israel and US bases and allies in the region with missile attacks is one of Iran’s few options to deter repeat strikes on its nuclear facilities,” John P. Caves III, an expert at the US National Defense University, told the newspaper.

In contrast, specialists said Iran’s primary nuclear enrichment facilities remain largely out of operation. “We haven’t seen any intensive recovery efforts to try to get equipment out of these facilities,” Joseph Rodgers of the Center for Strategic and International Studies was quoted as saying.

David Albright, head of the Institute for Science and International Security, noted that recent activity around some nuclear sites was a cause for concern, but stressed that it did not point to immediate action. “We don’t think it is urgent or imminent by any means,” he said.