CNN: International Kofi Annan will brief the U.N. Security Council on Wednesday after a flurry of diplomatic efforts to end 16 months of carnage in Syria.

AP: The U.N.’s special envoy on the Syrian crisis sought to build support for his peace efforts Tuesday with the leaders of Iran and Iraq, saying President Bashar Assad has agreed to a plan to quell the bloodshed in the most violent areas of Syria and then expand the operation to the whole country.

Bloomberg: Iran’s military continues to improve the accuracy and killing power of its long- and short-range ballistic missiles, including designing a weapon to target vessels, according to a Pentagon report to Congress.

AFP: The United States insisted Tuesday that it sees no role for Iran in resolving the conflict in Syria, in an implicit rebuff to UN envoy Kofi Annan’s outreach to Tehran.

AP: Iran’s foreign minister is playing down his country’s threat to close the vital Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for Western sanctions over its nuclear program.

AFP: South Africa on Tuesday said Pretoria’s former ambassador to Tehran is being investigated over bribery allegations linked to mobile giant MTN’s award of an operating licence in Iran.

AP: Two Iranians accused of planning attacks on Western targets in Kenya shipped more than 100 kilograms (220 pounds) of powerful explosive into this East African country, and most of it has not been recovered, a police officer told a court Tuesday.

uters: Tough Western sanctions are forcing Iran to take drastic action and shut off wells at its vast oilfields, reducing production to levels last seen more than two decades ago and costing Tehran billions in lost revenues.