The Iranian government restored some telecommunications in the country Tuesday amid reports of tight security and widespread damage from weekslong protests and a crackdown that killed nearly 646 people.
Several people in Tehran were able to call The Associated Press and speak to a journalist there. The AP bureau in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, was unable to call those numbers back.
The witnesses said SMS text messaging was still down and that internet users in Iran could connect to government-approved websites locally, but nothing abroad.
The witnesses gave a brief glimpse into life on the streets of the Iranian capital over the four and a half days of being cut off from the world. They described seeing a heavy security presence in central Tehran.
Anti-riot police officers, wearing helmets and body armor, carried batons, shields, shotguns and tear gas launchers.
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