"The offer is the strongest indication to date that Iran had a nuclear weapons program, but it doesn't prove it completely," a Western diplomat told the paper on condition of anonymity.

Iran provided a copy of the offer last month to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which is investigating Iran's nuclear program.

Iran insists its nuclear activities have been solely geared toward producing nuclear energy.

The 1987 meeting in Dubai was attended by up to three Iranian officials and associates of disgraced Pakistani scientist Khan, according to the Post.

Khan, who is now known to have run an international nuclear smuggling ring, did not attend.

The meeting resulted in a five-point phased plan to furnish Iran with nuclear materials including 2,000 centrifuges and equipment for building the core of a bomb, according to the Post report.

Iranian officials told the IAEA it bought centrifuge designs and a starter kit for uranium enrichment, but turned down more sensitive equipment.

Evidence suggests, however, that Iran went on to buy much of the equipment and technology outlined in the offer from other sellers at cheaper prices.

"Iran had its own procurement network and bought a lot of stuff," David Albright, president of the Institute for Science and International Security, told the Post.

"This offer would also show that even this early on, Pakistan was willing to go the extra mile to help Iran get the bomb," he said.

"Maybe Iran didn't take the offer, maybe Pakistan wanted too much money, but what's new is that Iran got a guide, and if you have a guide it's a lot easier to do."

IAEA chief Mohammed ElBaradei is expected to tell a meeting of the agency's board in Vienna on Monday that Iran was honoring a suspension of its nuclear-related activities, according to the Post.

But he will take Tehran to task for "breaking the spirit of the accord," the Post said, by carrying out limited uranium enrichment tests, quality control and maintenance work, and constructing storage tunnels near a nuclear facility.

Tehran agreed to freeze its nuclear fuel work in a deal with the European Union late last year.

In return the EU has held talks on offering Iran trade, technology and security rewards, but concern over possible violations remains high.

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