Hawzah News Agency - Answering an istifta' about taqlid by Ayatollah Khamenei.

Q: Is taqlīd (referring to a qualified mujtahid) an absolute rational issue or is it also grounded on jurisprudential evidence?

A: Taqlīd has its jurisprudential evidence in addition to reason which also admits that a person who is ignorant of religious rules should refer to a qualified mujtahid.

Source: https://www.leader.ir/en/book/32/Practical-Laws-of-Islam