After being cut off from the digital world for four days, many Iranians experienced momentary access to the internet on Friday, though the connections were weak and unreliable. Reports indicate that users switched servers or relied on luck to gain a foothold, yet many felt uncertain about the safety and longevity of these connections. "It feels like we’re in a dark cave," expressed Arta, a citizen who fled Tehran and managed to send messages over Instagram for a brief period.

The disruptions arose in the wake of escalating tensions following Israeli attacks, compounding the struggle for many who routinely utilized virtual private networks (VPNs) to bypass government-imposed internet restrictions. With many VPN services also facing interruptions, users were urged to remain cautious as they navigated the fragile online landscape. An organizer from a VPN provider even cautioned users in a Telegram message to avoid sharing links, as increased disconnections were reported and server overloads became a pressing concern.

While the lifting of the blackout has provided a glimmer of hope for communication, the overarching tight restrictions by the Iranian government persist, leaving many questioning the stability of their connections and access to the outside world.