In a documentary aired by state television on Wednesday, Tajikistan accused Iran of sending assassins and saboteurs into the former Soviet republic in the 1990s, Reuters reports.
Iran ‘s alleged involvement occurred when Tajikistan it was embroiled in a civil war against an Islamist-led rebel force.
The documentary shows that three Tajiks confessing to a series of killings of politicians and other prominent figures inside Tajikistan and attacks on a Russian military base there, all between 1994 and 2000.
The confessions mark the first time Iran has been publicly accused of involvement in Tajikistan's 1992-97 civil war, the report says.
The broadcaster, which serves as a mouthpiece for the government, aired footage of the men in handcuffs saying they had received training in and financial support from Iran.
Ties between the two nations, both Persian-speaking and predominantly Muslim, have been strained since a leader of a banned Tajik Islamist party openly attended a conference in Tehran in December 2015, which angered Dushanbe.
According to Reuters’ report, officials from the Iranian embassy in Dushanbe declined to comment on the documentary, which a Tajik interior ministry spokesman said the ministry had taken part in filming.
Tajikistan has in the past staged show trials, and only one of the three Tajiks has been sentenced. He is serving 18 years for murder, sabotage and illegal arms possession, the documentary said.
President Imomali Rakhmon's government accused its political opponents, the Islamic Renaissance Party of Tajikistan (IRPT), of being behind the coup attempt, and later banned the party, jailing some of its leaders and activists.
IRPT leader Muhiddin Kabiri fled the country and was put on a wanted list. He then attended he Tehran conference alongside Tajik officials, prompting angry comments from Dushanbe.
Last year, Tajikistan’s parliament backed changing the constitution to allow the president, Emomali Rahmon, to run for office an infinite number of times.
The 63-year-old has led the central Asian country since 1992, shortly after it became independent from the Soviet Union.