Washington, June 18 -- US President Donald Trump has defended the eventual return of frozen Iranian assets, arguing that failing to restore another country's funds could damage international confidence in the US dollar and the global financial system.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in France, Trump acknowledged that the United States had frozen substantial Iranian assets but stressed that the funds ultimately belong to Iran and may have to be returned as part of the broader diplomatic process.

"The money is not ours; it belongs to them. We froze it, and at some point, I believe we will have to give it back. If we don't, nobody will want to invest in the dollar again," Trump said.

The President noted that while ...