IMF to assess Iran economy in next six months

WASHINGTON, Jan 18 (Reuters) - The International MonetaryFund will visit Iran in the first half of the year to assess thestate of its economy and the impact of Western sanctions, asenior IMF official said on Friday. The IMF forecast in October that Iran's economy was likelyto contract in 2012 and inflation would likely increase to 25percent. Masood Ahmed, IMF director for the Middle East and ...