A fter 88 days of near-total internet blackout in Iran, long-delayed messages, images and poems flooded phones and social media feeds at about 5pm on Tuesday, when still-limited connectivity flickered back to life . The first reactions, however, were not celebratory. Many new posts were threaded with scepticism, anxiety and anger. Ellie*, 42, an artist from Tehran, was able to connect for the first time since 28 February. “I lit a cigarette, played SoundCloud and listened to our favourite music,” she said. “Ali [her husband] and I held back tears, then cried and convinced ourselves that this was a small taste of a much greater freedom after the fall of this regime … and we truly believe it.” The part-restoration hit global headlines, with many regime supporters applauding the government. Maryam*, a photographer in Tehran, said it was “nauseating to watch the celebrations and applause”. “What an absolute joke,” she said.…