Greece has submitted an official request to the International Monetary Fund for a new loan as it seeks a huge third bailout from its creditors, the finance ministry said Friday.

"We would like to inform you that we are seeking a new loan facility from the International Monetary Fund," Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos wrote in a letter to Christine Lagarde, the managing director of the IMF.

The debt-crippled Greek government, led by radical-left party Syriza, had originally planned to go without fresh help from the IMF as it considers the agency too wedded to draconian austerity measures.