TEHRAN: Iran’s oil sales for the 11 months to February 2010 fell by 24.3 percent to $59.55 billion (€48 billion), the Fars news agency reported on Sunday.

In a report it said was exclusive, but without quoting a source, the agency said oil sales for the corresponding period the year before stood at more than $78.65 billion.
The Iranian calendar year begins on March 21.

Fars said, however, that non-oil exports rose by 12.7 percent to $19 billion during the same period from $16.87 billion the previous year.

Iran is OPEC’s second largest oil exporter and also holds the world’s second largest gas reserves.

Oil sales account for 80 percent of the Islamic republic’s annual income.