The Iran-Turkey trade balance was in Iran's favor in 2003, said Turkey's State Statistics Institute on Saturday, IRNA reported from Ankara.

The two neighbors' commercial transactions were up almost 90 percent, finished at dlrs 2.381 billion in the year under study compared to dlrs 1.254 billion worth exchanges in the previous year.

According to the Turkish Institute, Turkey exported dlrs 523.996 million worth goods to Iran, while importing dlrs 1.857 billion in 2003.

Iran had a share of 1.1 percent in Turkey's total exports and 2.7 percent in its imports.

Turkey exported goods and services worth dlrs 333.962 million to Iran while importing dlrs 920.972 million worth goods and services from the country in 2002.

In December 2003 alone, Turkey's exports to and imports from Iran exceeded dlrs 80.73 million and dlrs 158.808 million respectively. The figures stood at dlrs 29.195 million (exports) and dlrs 57.399 million (imports) in December 2002.

Crude oil and natural gas constituted Turkey's main import items from Iran.

The volume of Iran-Turkey transactions rose by nearly dlrs 18 million to dlrs 1.218 billion in 2002 compared to 2001.

Turkey exported dlrs 299.691 million to while importing dlrs 918.631 million worth goods and services from Iran in 2002.

Turkey's general foreign trade rose by nearly 32 percent in 2003 compared to 2002, topping dlrs 115.611 billion.

The country's foreign trade volume also equalled dlrs 87.612 billion in 2002.

Turkey's exports rose by 30 percent to dlrs 46.877 billion while its imports by 33.3 percent to dlrs 68.734 billion in 2003 compared to 2002.