The International Monetary Fund on Friday night sought to play down a rift with Iceland on its $2.1bn (€1.47bn, £1.26bn) loan to the troubled country by insisting the two sides were in agreement over economic policy.

Iceland had earlier vented frustration at the delay of an IMF review that must be completed before the country can receive the next tranche of aid under the rescue package agreed when its banking sector collapsed last October.