Greece fell into default on its debt to the International Monetary Fund on Tuesday after missing a 1.5 billion euro ($1.7 billion) payment, the global lender said.

"I confirm that the SDR 1.2 billion repayment due by Greece to the IMF today has not been received. We have informed our Executive Board that Greece is now in arrears and can only receive IMF financing once the arrears are cleared," said Fund spokesman Gerry Rice.