BEIRUT (Reuters) — Lebanon’s Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah urged his group’s supporters on Friday to stay away from nationwide protests aimed at ousting the country’s ruling elite.

In a televised speech, Nasrallah said Lebanon was being “targeted” internationally and regionally, and he expressed fear that someone was looking to plunge the country into civil war.

Indeed, supporters of Hezbollah scuffled with anti-government protesters who have been on the streets for days, angered by corruption and the near collapse of the economy. However, Nasrallah rejected the demonstrators’ calls to bring down the government:

We do not accept the fall of the presidency nor do we accept the government’s resignation and we do not accept, amid these conditions, holding early parliamentary elections.

Praising the protest movement for achieving “unprecedented” economic reforms announced this week, he said Lebanon must now search for ways to move forward and prevent a dangerous power vacuum.