The average Iranian in the streets considers the dictatorship to be too 'Arabic' in culture, they may speak Persian/Farsi but they aren't Persians in culture. The regime does not embrace Iran's history or culture, they embrace an Arabized version which is post-Arab Invasion. Most Persians admire the pre-600 A.D. era when there was the Persian Empire - Cyrus the Great, Darius the Great, Xerxes, etc. Something shunned by the current regime.
That is interesting. I have spoken to Iranian Persians who admire ancient Persian culture as you described. I have never met any of the mullahs though, so what you posted makes sense.
They shun it because its superior in every way the to house of crap they built.