A year after his highly controversial visit to the United States, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is back and slated to speak today at the U.N. General Assembly. His appearance follows news that the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency could not determine whether Iran is hiding nuclear activities.

Meanwhile, in a series of interviews with U.S. news outlets, Ahmadinejad is blaming U.S. military interventions for contributing to the collapse of global financial markets. He also asserted that he does not want confrontation with the United States but seeks diplomatic relations. During a military parade on Sunday, however, Ahmadinejad warned that “If anyone allows himself to commit even a tiny offense against Iran’s legitimate interests, borders and sacred land, our armed forces will break his hand before he pulls the trigger.”