New Delhi, Oct. 20 -- Saudi Arabia has postponed its flagship Future Investment Initiative (FII) conference until 2027 as escalating missile and drone attacks by Iran-backed Houthi militants raise security concerns and disrupt the kingdom's efforts to attract global investors. The annual gathering, scheduled in Riyadh from October 26 to 29, was expected to feature leading executives from Wall Street's biggest financial institutions.

Often called "Davos in the Desert", the conference is a key platform for Saudi Arabia to showcase its economic ambitions and attract foreign capital as it seeks to diversify beyond oil.

The postponement comes after a recent attack by Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, wh...