The State Department has imposed new sanctions targeting Iran’s nuclear program in support of the United Nations Security Council’s sanctions on the nation.

“As President Trump has made clear, Iran can never have a nuclear weapon,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement on Wednesday. “Today, we are designating 44 individuals and entities involved in Iran’s nuclear program and weapons procurement networks supporting ballistic missile and military aircraft programs.”

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Among those sanctioned are five individuals and one entity connected to the direct successor to Iran’s pre-2004 nuclear weapons program. Iran’s Organization of Defensive Innovation and Research is working on achieving nuclear capability for military use.

“A number of the persons sanctioned in this action have sought to obtain sensitive dual-use technologies and technical expertise applicable to nuclear weapons development,” Rubio said.

One of the five people sanctioned is the director of Iran’s nuclear weapons program, Reza Mozaffarinia, who was designated by the United States over a decade ago for aiding in the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. An Iranian company called Andisheh Damavand International Technologies was also sanctioned for facilitating travel for Iranian nuclear experts to Russia to acquire nuclear technology.

“The actions announced today show that Iran is actively attempting to procure components and technologies in support of its proliferation programs,” the secretary of state added.

The move comes days after France, Germany, and the United Kingdom triggered the “snapback” mechanism in Iran’s 2015 nuclear deal to resume U.N. sanctions on the Islamic Republic’s nuclear program. The three European nations accused Iran of “significant non-performance” of its nuclear commitments under the deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action.

The snapback mechanism is a veto-proof tool invoked whenever a member of the 2015 international agreement finds Iran violated the terms of the nuclear deal.

While the U.S. supports the measure, Russia and China do not. In fact, Russian officials said they do not recognize the return of the U.N. sanctions and will not enforce them.

The reimposed sanctions include an arms embargo, restrictions on Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs, a ban on exporting items that could contribute to these programs, and asset freezes and travel bans on Iranian individuals and entities involved in prohibited activities.

RUBIO PRAISES ‘SNAPBACK’ SANCTIONS BACK IN PLACE AFTER IRAN’S FAILURE TO COMPLY ON NUCLEAR PROGRAM

Tehran claims that its nuclear program is peaceful, although the program was the reason that the U.S. bombed three Iranian nuclear facilities in June. The bombing operation was intended to prevent Tehran from further enriching its uranium stockpiles to develop a nuclear weapon.

It remains to be seen how Iran will respond to the latest sanctions.