By Rajasik Mukherjee

June 22 (Reuters) - Most emerging Asian stocks gained footing on Monday, led by strong gains in Taiwan and South Korea, while currencies in the region struggled as uncertainty around the ongoing U.S.-Iran peace deal clouded investor sentiment.

The MSCI EM Asia gauge advanced more than 1.5% to hit a record high, largely driven by artificial intelligence stocks in South Korea and Taiwan, which make up about 60% of the index.

Taiwan's benchmark equities gauge surged more than 3% to a record high of 47,871.190 points, eyeing its sixth consecutive session of gains. South Korea's main KOSPI index rose more than 2%, flirting with its record high set on Friday.

"Today's equity trading shows that AI remains the strongest counterweight to geopolitics and higher rates," said Glenn Yin, director of research at brokerage ACCM.

"Korea and Taiwan are being treated as direct beneficiaries of the semiconductor and AI capex cycle, while Japan is getting an extra boost through large tech and AI-linked names."

Both the stock markets have been the biggest beneficiaries of the AI frenzy that has taken hold over global equity markets, with investors increasingly betting on AI euphoria, outweighing global concerns surrounding the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz.

A statement by mediators said the U.S. and Iran agreed to a roadmap toward a final deal within 60 days, but not before Tehran said it had again closed the Strait of Hormuz and U.S. President Donald Trump had repeated his threats to resume attacks on Iran.

A stronger U.S. dollar kept Asian currencies under pressure, with confusion over developments in the U.S.-Iran peace talks muddying the pathway for increased allocations to emerging market assets.

The MSCI EM currencies gauge dipped 0.3% for a third consecutive session. The Indonesian rupiah weakened to 17,818 per dollar, while the Indian rupee snapped a six-session winning streak to slip to 94.405 a dollar.

For Indonesia, all eyes are on MSCI's verdict on the country's emerging markets status in a highly anticipated report that could provide a lift to an under-pressure market or deal yet another blow to Southeast Asia's biggest economy.

The index provider is due to announce its decision in the early Asian hours on Wednesday.

"A downgrade would likely exacerbate capital outflows and could reinforce risk aversion, and open the door to even more downside risk for the country's equity and currency," Yin added. 

The South Korean won dipped 0.5% to 1,538.8 a dollar, not far from a two-week low. The Philippine peso also fell to its weakest point since June 12, sliding for the fifth consecutive session.

In Latin America, the Colombian right-wing candidate Abelardo De La Espriella clinched a narrow victory in Sunday's presidential election, according to an initial ballot count, as voters bet on his Donald Trump-endorsed promise of a crackdown on crime and a stronger economy.

HIGHLIGHTS:    

** SK Hynix surpasses Samsung Electronics to become South Korea's most valuable firm

** Japan finance minister vows readiness to act on yen at any time

** China keeps lending benchmark LPRs unchanged for 13th month in June

Asia stock indexes and currencies at 0411 GMT

COUNTRY FX RIC FX FX YTD % INDEX STOCK STOCKS

DAILY % S YTD %

DAILY

%

Japan -0.21 -3.08 1.55 43.73

China -0.08 +3.09 0.18 3.25

India -0.14 -4.85 0.51 -7.63

Indonesia -0.20 -6.40 -1.97 -29.97

Malaysia -0.39 -2.27 -0.19 1.70

Philippines -0.48 -3.55 -1.42 -0.08

S.Korea -0.51 -6.46 0.84 116.62

Singapore -0.17 -0.53 -0.18 11.57

Taiwan -0.08 -0.55 2.96 65.17

Thailand -0.27 -4.49 0.41 25.35