Greece has demanded an explanation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) after an apparently leaked transcript suggested the IMF may threaten to pull out of the country’s bailout as a tactic to force European lenders to offer more debt relief.

Greece needs at least another €36bn over the next three years from eurozone states and easier terms on existing debt to keep the nation’s finances sustainable, according to an IMF analysis.

Greece emptied an emergency IMF holding account to repay €750m due to the international lender, a Greek central bank official said, avoiding default but underscoring the dire state of the country’s finances.