BAGHDAD- Iraq's oil minister said on Wednesday that his country will focus on oil and gas exploration in the country's western desert over the next four years.

"We will target exploration of the free gas fields to boost larger gas reserves," a ministry statement quoted oil minister Thamer Ghadhban as saying.

(Reporting by Ahmed Rasheed; editing by Jason Neely) ((ahmed.rasheed@thomsonreuters.com; +964-7901-947-131; Reuters Messaging: ahmed.rasheed.thomsonreuters.com@thomsonreuters.net))