pride should not be something to be ashamed of
Actually it is for the most part. Very rarely is pride justified or morally appropriate. In Iran's case, pride is perhaps the biggest item to be ashamed of. Specially today.
45 years ago, Shah used pride as a tool to counter Western supremacy ideologies. He truly wanted to put them in their place via massive festivals, high profile interviews and bold economic moves. He was successful to a small degree, but many people mistook this as the reality of Iran.
Today, it's inappropriate for Iran or Iranians to exercise pride. It's arrogant and self-defeating.