“Inmarsat seeks to comply with all applicable sanctions, laws and regulations,” Inmarsat spokesman Greg Kalish said in the e-mail statement. “This is the second time that Inmarsat has been accused of wrongdoing by [the Israel Law Center] Shurat HaDin.  Last year, the lobby group contended in a U.S. lawsuit that Inmarsat was violating U.S. law by allegedly supplying telecommunications services to ships that allegedly were connected with Hamas. Inmarsat pointed out the legal and factual difficulties in their case, and Shurat HaDin dismissed their case, before Inmarsat even had to respond formally on the merits.”

   The Israel Law Center sent a letter to warn Inmarsat of its alleged violation. “We will not tolerate Inmarsat or any corporations profiting from the blood of innocent people,” Israel Law Center Founder Nitsana Darshan-Leitner said in a July 26 letter. “Anything short of immediate and decisive action on our part would be akin to acceptance. It is a simple issue of justice — Inmarsat must uphold its legal obligations in compliance with U.S. Treasury regulations and immediately cease its support for Iran.”

   The Israel Law Center added that it had filed suit against Inmarsat in a U.S. District Court in June 2011, alleging the company was supporting ships seeking to breach Israel’s naval blockade of Gaza.

   Inmarsat was founded in 1979 as the International Maritime Satellite Organization — a non-profit, intergovernmental organization established by United Nations convention to provide maritime communications for distress and safety of life at sea communications. The intergovernmental organization was privatized in 1999. Inmarsat said the convention required the company to make its services available for the “benefit of ships of all nations,” according to the statement.

   “As a condition to Inmarsat’s privatization, the company was required to continue its ‘public service obligations’ to ‘ensure the continuity of maritime satellite distress and safety communications services’ for the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System (GMDSS) established by the United Nations … Inmarsat was again required to provide safety communications services for all ships ‘without discrimination on the basis of nationality.’ In turn, all cargo and passenger ships above a certain tonnage must carry a terminal for GMDSS.  Inmarsat is the sole satellite provider of GMDSS,” the operator said.