By Ian Talley

International Monetary Fund chief Christine Lagarde said on Monday the emergency lender is ready to help Greece if requested after the country's voters rejected its creditors bailout terms.

"The IMF has taken note of yesterday's referendum held in Greece," Ms. Lagarde said in a short emailed statement. "We are monitoring the situation closely and stand ready to assist Greece if requested to do so," she said.

In the two-sentence statement, the IMF didn't say whether Ms. Lagarde has been in contact with European authorities, or whether Greece had requested IMF assistance.

Ahead of Sunday's referendum, Greece defaulted on its loans to the IMF last week. Until Greece clears those arrears with the IMF, the fund isn't allowed by its bylaws to lend the debt-ridden country any more bailout cash.

The fund can provide technical assistance to Greece, if the country asks for help from the IMF. But the fund is seen by Athens and many Greek voters as one of the prime architects of a failed bailout that has fueled the country's crisis.

The fund has placed blame on a succession of governments over the past five years failing to deliver on promised economic overhauls and take ownership for a bailout that Athens helped craft.

Write to Ian Talley at ian.talley@wsj.com