What it means
توقیف (toqif) means seizure, confiscation, or impounding. It is borrowed from Arabic, from the root و-ق-ف (w-q-f), meaning to stop or to cause something to halt, making توقیف literally an act of stopping something in place. In legal contexts it refers to the official seizure of property, assets, or documents by a court or enforcement authority. In everyday life, most Iranians encounter توقیف when a vehicle is impounded by traffic police, called توقیف خودرو (toqif-e khodrow). A close synonym is ضبط (zabt), which tends to refer more specifically to confiscation of objects as evidence. توقیف is broader and covers both temporary impounding and full confiscation under a court order.
How to use it
- ماشینم رو توقیف کردن. (Mâshinam ro toqif kardan.) “They impounded my car.”
- اموالش به دستور دادگاه توقیف شد. (Amvâlash be dastur-e dâdgâh toqif shod.) “His assets were seized by court order.”
- برو از پارکینگ توقیف ماشینتو آزاد کن. (Boro az pârking-e toqif mâshinto âzâd kon.) “Go free your car from the impound lot.”
- مدارک پرونده توقیف شده. (Madârek-e parvande toqif shode.) “The case documents have been seized.”
Cultural note
Vehicle توقیف is one of the most common encounters ordinary Iranians have with the legal system. Traffic police in Tehran and other cities operate dedicated پارکینگ توقیف (pârking-e toqif) impound lots, and having a car towed there for parking violations or missing documents is a familiar frustration. Recovering a توقیفشده (toqif-shode, impounded) vehicle involves paying fines and presenting proof of ownership or valid insurance, a process that can take a full working day. In civil law, توقیف of bank accounts and property is a powerful enforcement tool creditors can seek through courts when debtors default.