In his first major speech as president on France’s much-vaunted nuclear “strike force,” Sarkozy said nuclear weapons remains a vital component to the nation’s defence.

“It is the nation’s life insurance policy,” he said. He noted that while France does not face a foreseeable threat of invasion, other threats exist.

He singled out Iran’s development of its missile forces, even as questions surround its nuclear programme. “The security of Europe is at stake,” he said. Many of France’s nuclear weapons are carried aboard submarines, with the rest on warplanes.

Sarkozy said the airborne component would be cut by one-third. “After this reduction, our arsenal will include less than 300 nuclear warheads,” he said. Sarkozy did not say how many warheads France currently has and the Defence Ministry said that information is a state secret. He also inaugurated the nuclear submarine named “The Terrible”.