WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The most powerful U.S. gun lobby on Tuesday offered condolences for the massacre at Virginia Tech university but would not comment further until more facts were known about the shooting rampage which killed 33 people.

"The National Rifle Association joins the entire country in expressing our deepest condolences to the families of Virginia Tech University and everyone else affected by this horrible tragedy," the NRA said in a brief statement on its Web site. "We will not have further comment until all the facts are known."

The shootings were likely to renew the debate over gun control and gun rights that has surfaced regularly over many decades. Some foreign commentators were already blaming the lack of gun control laws on leading to the deaths.

The Gun Owners of America, another major U.S. gun lobby group, issued a statement saying the shooting showed that gun bans were the problem and Americans should have the right to carry arms to defend themselves.

"It is irresponsibly dangerous to tell citizens that they may not have guns at schools," said Larry Pratt, director of Gun Owners of America. "The Virginia Tech shooting shows that killers have no concern about a gun ban when murder is in their hearts."

Both groups oppose gun control laws and have argued that the right to bear arms is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.

A 23-year-old student from South Korea killed 32 people and then himself at Virginia Tech on Monday in the worst shooting rampage in U.S. history.