Beverly Hills gets Iranian Jewish mayor

An Iranian-born Jew won the mayoralty of Beverly Hills after a cliffhanger vote count. At his March 27 inauguration, Jimmy Jamshid Delshad will claim another title — top Iranian-born public official in the United States.Although the election in the independent municipality was held March 6, the results hung in the balance until March 9 following a partial count of absentee and provisional ballots. Final figures are not expected to be certified until March 16.Delshad, 66, marked his victory on Saturday morning by attending services at three synagogues to thank congregants for their support.”I feel blessed to have been chosen by the people of Beverly Hills,” Delshad said in a phone interview. “As a Jewish youngster in Iran, I was a second-class citizen and kept running into closed doors. Through my example, I hope to open doors in America for other people like me.”