My dear ones, if it is objectively necessary, I will not shirk any responsibility. On the issue of Sources of Emulation [ Marjaiyat ], the situation is not like this. The load will not be left on the ground. This issue is not dependant on any one individual. Yes. The gentlemen gave a list and the name of this humble servant was included. But if they had asked me, I would have said “don’t do this”. They did this without my knowledge. I was informed after their statement was released. Otherwise I wouldn’t have allowed. I even informed the television and said that if the gentlemen will not be offended, when you read their statement, do not read my name. Later they said that it can’t be. It will be a distortion of the statement; the gentlemen have gathered, have had a meeting for several hours, it can’t be. Now I state to you: Dear nation! My dear ones! Respected gentlemen and elders who from here and there sometimes send messages to this servant to issue a religious treatise [ Resaleh ]*! My current responsibilities are very heavy. The weight of leadership of the system of the Islamic Republic and the grand responsibilities of the world, are like the load of several Sources of Emulation. Know this. If they put several Sources of Emulations on top of each other, it’s possible that its weight will be as heavy as this; maybe. At the moment there is no necessity. Yes, if – God forbid – the situation reached a point that I saw there is no choice, I would have said fine. I, with all my weaknesses and poverty, by the grace of God , where I have no choice – meaning it is necessary – have no problems with holding up on my shoulders the weight of responsibilities ten times greater than this. But right now, it is not like that. Right now there is no need. Thanks God there are so many scholars [ mojtahedeen ]. I mentioned Qom. There are others besides in Qom. There are scholars who are competent individuals. What need is there, now that the Grand Creator has placed this heavy load on the frail shoulders of this weak and humble servant, to add the weight of being a Source of Emulation on it? There is no real need. So those who insist and say: Sir [ Agha ], issue a dissertation, they must pay attention that it is because of this that I do not accept the weight of responsibility of being a Source of Emulation. Thanks be to God that the gentlemen are there and there is no real need.
Of course, outside of Iran has a different ruling. I accept their responsibility. Why? Because if I don’t shoulder that responsibility, it will be wasted. The day when I feel that the gentlemen who are – thanks be to God’s – present here and in my opinion are sufficient – and I determine that they have the necessary qualifications and even above the basic qualifications for shouldering the responsibility – that these gentlemen who exist today in Qom can accept the weight of responsibility for abroad, that day I will again step aside. Today I accept the request of Shia’as living outside of Iran; because there is no other choice. It’s like all those other places where we have no choice. But inside Iran, there is no need.
* Issuing a Resaleh is a pre-requisite for becoming a Source of Emulation