Iran has asked Switzerland to host an international conference to help resolve issues related to its nuclear program, a Swiss newspaper reported yesterday.

The request for the conference was made by Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki at a meeting in Tehran with a senior Swiss government official last week, the Zurich-based NZZ am Sonntag newspaper quoted "reliable sources" as saying.

Iran hopes the conference to be participated not only by the five permanent members of the UN Security Council, namely the United States, Britain, China, France and Russia, but also countries like Japan and Spain and possibly India and Pakistan, the newspaper added.

Iran insists that its nuclear program is for civilian purpose and has thus far refused to yield to U.S. and EU pressure for giving up its uranium enrichment activities.

The five permanent members of the Security Council plus Germany have offered a package of incentives to Iran in exchange for its suspension of the nuclear program.

But Iran has yet to give a formal response to the offer.

No Swiss or Iranian official sources have so far confirmed NZZ am Sonntag's report.