[[Berkas:arabnewssunday.jpg|200px|ka|jmpl|Halaman depan surat kabar Arab Saudi Arab News yang mengulas insiden sebagai tajuk utama]]
Kontroversi seputar penyebab terjadinya insiden ini berkembang luas, terutama pertentangan antara sumber-sumber pemerintah Arab Saudi dan Iran. Arab Saudi dan Iran merupakan seteru politik, disebabkan diantaranya oleh ketegangan sektarian antara SunniWahabi Arab Saudi dengan Syiah Iran, dan perang proksi yang di [[Perang Saudara Suriah|Suriah]] dan [[Perang Saudara Yaman|Yaman]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://mobile.nytimes.com/2015/09/26/world/middleeast/hajj-stampede-mecca-saudi-arabia.html|title=Hajj Tragedy Inflames Schisms During a Pilgrimage Designed for Unity|first=Ben|last=Hubbard|newspaper=The New York Times|date=25 September 2015|accessdate=27 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/25/iran-blames-saudi-government-hajj-disaster-investigation|title=Iran blames Saudi leaders for hajj disaster as investigation begins|first1=Ian|last1=Black|first2=Matthew|last2=Weaver|newspaper=The Guardian|date=25 September 2015|accessdate=27 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2015/09/24/how-the-deadly-hajj-stampede-is-revealing-old-middle-east-rivalries|title=How the deadly hajj stampede feeds into old Middle East rivalries|newspaper=The Washington Post|first=Ishaan|last=Tharoor|date=24 September 2015|accessdate=27 September 2015}}</ref> [[Saad Hariri]] menuduh Hizbullah berupaya mengeksploitasi peristiwa ini untuk menjatuhkan Arab Saudi di mata dunia<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.dailystar.com.lb/News/Lebanon-News/2015/Sep-28/316755-hariri-iran-nasrallah-exploiting-hajj-tragedy.ashx |title=Hariri: Iran, Nasrallah exploiting hajj tragedy - The Daily Star |date=25 September 2015|work= dailystar.com.lb}}</ref> dan [[Thomas McArdle]] menganggap Iran mengemukakan isu untuk mengambil alih Mekkah dari Arab Saudi.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://news.investors.com/blogs-capital-hill/092515-772899-iran-has-saudi-rulers-in-crosshairs.htm |title=Iran Exploits Hajj Disaster Hoping To Overthrow Saudi Rulers |date=25 September 2015|work=investors.com}}</ref>
