According to representatives of the Biden administration, Russia has experienced technical difficulties with Iranian-made drones it purchased from Tehran this month for use in its conflict with Ukraine.

The officials did not go into detail about the “many failures” while speaking under the condition of anonymity to discuss the U.S. intelligence assessment. The delivery of Mohajer-6 and Shahed-series unmanned aerial vehicles over a number of days this month, they said, is most likely a part of a Russian scheme to acquire hundreds of Iranian UAVs, according to the U.S.

The Associated Press reported last week that despite American cautions to Tehran not to export them, Russia has lately acquired hundreds of Iranian drones that may be deployed in its conflict with Ukraine. First reported by The Washington Post, Russia has experienced technical issues with the Iranian drones.

These systems, which are capable of conducting air-to-surface assaults, electronic warfare, and targeting, are still being trained on by Russian operators in Iran, according to the authorities.

Last month, satellite images were made public by the Biden administration, showing that Russian officials visited Kashan Airfield on June 8 and July 5 to see the Iranian drones. The administration allegedly has “knowledge that the Iranian government is prepared to equip Russia with several hundred UAVs,” according to White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan at the time.

Russia is looking to Iran as a significant partner and supplier of weaponry as a result of the economic sanctions and restrictions placed on it as a result of its invasion of Ukraine. This month, Russian planes were equipped with the UAV gear at an Iranian airfield over a number of days before the weapons were transported to Russia, according to the officials.

Earlier on Monday, John Kirby, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, told reporters that there was “no update” from the administration regarding whether the drones had been delivered. The procurement and delivery are still looming and are still in the offing, he continued, adding that the U.S. has “seen nothing that gives us a sense of comfort.”

Hossein-Amir Abdollahian, the foreign minister of Iran, stated last month that Moscow and Teheran have “different sorts of partnership, including in the defense industry.”

However, he added, “We won’t support either of the warring parties because we think that it (the conflict) needs to be ended.

In a time when the White House is also urging Tehran to resume compliance with the 2015 nuclear deal, administration sources confirmed specifics about Iran providing Russia with drones.

The government concluded last week its examination of Iran’s remarks on a European proposal to revive the agreement that was negotiated during the presidency of President Barack Obama and terminated by then-President Donald Trump in 2018.