WASHINGTON, DC – Yesterday, Iran confirmed the conversion of 37 tons of raw uranium into gas. Today, the head of Iran’s atomic energy organization confirmed that the country would resume uranium enrichment-related activities within days.

“Three months ago, Iran was building deep reinforced tunnels to store nuclear materials and technology. Today, Iranian officials are bragging that they will be conducting uranium enrichment-related activities in the next few days. From Tehran to Pyongyang the message from President Bush is clear, you can build nuclear weapons and face no consequences,” said Rep. Ed Markey upon returning from the United Nations Non-Proliferation Treaty Review Conference in New York.

The planned Iranian enrichment-related activities are a direct violation of the recent negotiations between Iran and France and Britain and Germany.

“President Bush has lost control of these rogue nuclear programs. It is patently obvious that this Administration has squandered its credibility on non-proliferation. North Korea now has six nuclear weapons and is planning to test them. Iran is flaunting its enrichment program. President Bush needs to stop ignoring the growing non-proliferation crisis,” said Rep. Markey, who co-chairs the Nonproliferation Task Force. Markey added, “Right now the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference is taking place in New York. Why isn’t the President or Secretary Rice going to the Conference and laying out an action plan for addressing the North Korean and Iranian crises and for putting the NPT on a stronger footing?”

Yesterday, Rep. Markey released two letters yesterday signed by a total of 134 House Members calling for the immediate cancellation of the Bush Administration’s proposed nuclear bunker warhead, also known as the “Robust Nuclear Earth Penetrator” or RNEP.

For more on Rep. Markey’s work on non-proliferation check out his blog from the UN NPT Review Conference: Huffington Post