TEHRAN -- Turkish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sukru Sina Curel is to hold talks with his Iranian counterpart Kamal Kharrazi on the bilateral ties as well as regional and international issues during his upcoming one-day visit to the Islamic Republic of Iran.

In talks with journalists in Tehran, Turkish Ambassador to Iran Sellahattin Alpar said Sina Curel is also to meet other high-ranking Iranian officials to discuss issues of mutual interest, IRNA reported.

Curel's visit will take place at the invitation of his Iranian counterpart Kharrazi, Alpar said.

The ambassador said coordination is underway to prepare programs for meetings between Turkish foreign minister and Iranian top officials including President Seyed Mohammad Khatami, Parliament Speaker Mahdi Karrubi and other officials.

He further called for expansion of all-out ties with Iran particularly in the economic and trade areas.

Iran-Turkey trade volume, down 12 percent, reached $570.355 million in the January-September period, according to Turkish State Statistics Institute, IRNA reported.

The institute said on Wednesday that in the first half of the year 2002, 647,404 thousand dollars worth of trade transactions were made between Iran and Turkey.

Turkey's exports to Iran in the first six months stood at $138.6 million and its imports from Iran at $431.755 million.

In the first half of the year 2001, Turkey's exports to and imports from Iran equaled $173.541 million and $473.863 million respectively.

According to the statistics, just in June, 2002, Turkey's exports to Iran was $36.778 million and its imports stood at $107.210 million. Turkey's exports to Iran in June 2001 hit $22.432 million and its imports from the country reached $50.25 million.